Letters

Dodgers, Angels reach endgame

It's another season without a postseason for local teams.

Matt Kemp throws his bat in frustration after striking out against the Giants. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles…)

To paraphrase the Beatles, money can't buy you love. For Matt Kemp to say "We kind of failed," he is mistaken. He failed. For Don Mattingly to say "He got excited," referring to Mark Ellis when he got thrown out in Game 161, is inexcusable. This isn't Babe Ruth baseball. These guys are being paid huge salaries and there should be no excuse for their poor performances.

Robert C. Thompson

Marina del Rey

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Now that the Dodgers are stocked with talent, we need someone to manage it.

Guy Prevost

Los Angeles

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To supplement two new baseball stats I find listed widely, WHIP and WAR, I suggest an additional one, in which the Dodgers excel: LDA (Losses Despite Acquisitions).

Andrew Sacks

Fontana

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The amazing thing about the Dodgers' ninth-inning rally Tuesday was it took until the 80th home game of the season for the people in the dugout seats to pull their heads up from their cellphones and actually pay attention to the action on the field. Here's to a little more Magic and a lot more Vinny next season.

David Hurwitz

Encino

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What bugged me all season about the Dodgers were their childish, overblown, walk-off celebrations.

Dog piling? Tearing off the jersey? Gatorade drenching? Squirt guns? Because some guy walked with the bases loaded in Game 46?

This is not now how championship clubs conduct themselves.

Here's hoping they tone it down next year, saving it for the one big celebration we're all hoping for.

Anthony Moretti

Lomita

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Q: What did the middle of the Dodgers' lineup (Gonzalez, Ramirez and Cruz) have in common with the Dodgers' season itself?

A: Both ended in ZZZ.

Ben Browdy

Los Angeles

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I know Vin Scully is our local icon, but he of all people should appreciate the intense rivalry between the Dodgers and Giants, stemming from their New York days and exacerbated with the animosity between L.A. and the Bay Area snobs. So, Vin, how about cooling the Buster Posey love affair? Leave the accolades to the Frisco press and hope the Giants get bounced from the playoffs like the rest of us Dodgers fans do.

Ken Blake

Brea

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That hurts. But the moment He Who Shall Not Be Named left what should never have been his seat in the never-should-have-been-owner's box, the Dodgers clinched a successful season.

Mel Powell

Sherman Oaks

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I guess $2.15 billion doesn't buy the type of championship team it used to.

Ed Kaz

Oak Park

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I guess the Angels have learned that $159 million doesn't buy what it used to.

Roger Humes

Claremont

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Cal Ripken gushes about how the Orioles made the playoffs because their manager is a great strategist and motivator. They say that a manager will make the difference in about a half a dozen games a year for his baseball team.

Unfortunately, in the case of Mike Scioscia, it's all too true.

Mike Reuben

Anaheim Hills

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If only Mike Trout hadn't needed all that minor league seasoning in April, where might the Angels be today?

Rhys Thomas

Valley Glen

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In addition to being a prime candidate for rookie of the year and MVP, Mike Trout received another accolade: He was an answer in The Times crossword puzzle last Saturday (Sept. 29).

John Lane

Stanton

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Sad to see the Dodgers and Angels both miss the playoffs, but at least with the local baseball season ending, I can now give my full attention to the Kings and Ducks. Oh....

Jonah Freedman

Los Angeles

UCLA dignity

After reading T.J. Simers' column on Jim Mora's profane dressing down of a school sports information department representative, I realized that Coach Mora has something in common with far too many student athletes ... missing class.

Bud Chapman

Northridge

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If ever there was a case of pot-kettle-black, it's T.J. Simers calling out anyone for actions undignified.

Can he possibly be that blind to the fact that for decades his writing has defined the absence of dignity and, further, that he's made a rather tidy living in doing so?

Cy Bolton

Rancho Cucamonga

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The Times pulled T.J. Simers off UCLA and they began thriving. He was assigned to the Dodgers and they missed the playoffs with a roster full of big names. Please keep him away from UCLA. Maybe he could follow Lane Kiffin around for a while.

Alan Abajian

Alta Loma

Bogey men

When Rory Mcllroy inexcusably confused his tee time Sunday, we should have laughed and reveled in his stupidity rather than provided the European player a police escort to the golf course. This is Ryder Cup, not any other PGA Tour event. We Americans are too nice and polite, and our golfers stink at match play.

Larry Yells

Hermosa Beach

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Aside from the one comment from Johnny Miller about the U.S. team giving it away on the 17th and 18th holes, not a word was written about the lack of guts, courage and strength of character shown by this year's U.S. Ryder Cup team.

Yes, without a doubt the European team players buckled down and did what was necessary to win again, but the ease with which they were able to overcome a noncommitted group of prima donnas was deplorable.

Send in the clowns: At least there could be some legitimate humor, not the "oh well" smiles of Phil Mickelson and his tribe.